The seven VIKING Norsafe Magnar 1950 patrol vessels will be built in Greece, featuring speeds of at least 50 knots and an operational range exceeding 320 nautical miles
VIKING Life-Saving Equipment has secured a €23.8 million contract to build seven high-speed patrol vessels for the Hellenic Coast Guard, with construction to be undertaken entirely in Greece through its Greek subsidiary, VIKING Life-Saving Equipment Hellas.
The contract was signed by Greece’s Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Vassilis Kikilias, during a ceremony at the Ministry in Athens, attended by senior Coast Guard officials and VIKING representatives.
The seven vessels will be of the VIKING Norsafe Magnar 1950 type, each measuring 21.29 metres in length and designed to achieve speeds of at least 50 knots. With an operational range exceeding 320 nautical miles, the patrol vessels will accommodate a six-person crew and carry at least 30 additional personnel.
Once in service, the vessels will support the Coast Guard’s core missions: surveillance of Greek waters, protection of the country’s maritime borders, fisheries control, and search and rescue. The contract also includes an option for up to seven additional vessels of the same type. Deliveries are scheduled to begin within six to twelve months, with vessels handed over in succession.
At the signing, Minister Kikilias described the procurement as another decisive step in supporting the men and women of the Coast Guard. He said the goal is “to make their job easier, facing the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
“We are honoured by the trust placed in VIKING by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy and the Hellenic Coast Guard. This contract builds on more than a century of boatbuilding expertise within VIKING, and on the skills of our team in Greece. Building these vessels locally reflects our commitment to Greek shipbuilding and to the people who protect lives at sea every day.” John Georgiadis, Tenders & Projects Director | Defence & Professional, VIKING Life-Saving Equipment.
“This contract is significant both for our Defence & Professional business and for VIKING. It broadens the range of vessels we supply to the Coast Guard, and we are proud to earn that confidence.” Heidi Bjerge Nüsser, VP Defence Wind & Aviation, VIKING Life-Saving Equipment.
The procurement is funded by the Public Investment Programme through the co-financed programme “Fisheries, Aquaculture and Sea 2021–2027.
